xxxv λ musing

[assassino]

[All things considered, Ezio has had a busy day, but now he's out and about. He's hit up a dozen or so stores in town, mostly for painting frames and books, and perhaps you've see him running errands.


Later, however, he will be sitting down at his desk to scrawl out:]

I seldom write in this journal. I think that is funny; for every boy who knows how to write, three sit without education, and here I squander my gifts and ignore books. My sister does more writing than I do, and her talent is a rarity amongst women!

It has been more than a year since I have arrived –– closer, still, to thirteen months -- and each day I learn new things about the future, history, science, and even the human body. I do not think many days have passed in the past four hundred that saw me sitting idle and failing to learn!

Yet still, when I spoke to a young woman the other week, she was hard-pressed to believe that I would return to my time, forsaking the knowledge and science and hygiene of the future. I prefer the conventions of my time, and my culture, and I have work to do. So, I wonder, then...

How many of you would go home with another, to their time instead of yours?

I'm going to miss plumbing. I think that is what you call it –– "plumbing." Even after all this time, sometimes it is fun to turn on the "tap" simply to marvel at its convenience. It is a wonder there is so much water about without the streets being flooded like the canals of Venezia.

And I have such good memories of the miracles of showers, with thanks to some of the beautiful women in this castle.

E. Auditore.

Comments

[secondchances]

How many of those do you have here?

[assassino]

Enough to start a wall.

[secondchances]

Am I going to see this wall?

[assassino]

[shrug]

You have not been in my war room. It would only upset you, dolcezza. [He squeezes her arm, gently.] You know that.

[secondchances]

I'd like to see. I know you're not plotting to do anything to anyone.

[RIGHT, EZIO?]

[assassino]

No, Stephanie, I am not.

[secondchances]

I believe you. I'm just curious as to who would be up there aside from Cesare. If you're just keeping it to Paradisa, that is.

[assassino]

Lucrezia, of course, as well.

[secondchances]

[A slow nod. See, she's not getting upset! Though she doesn't like it.]

And?

[assassino]

Micheletto.

[secondchances]

Is that all?

[Micheletto is creepy, so she totally understands that.]

[assassino]

Yes.

[All she needs to know, anyway.]

[secondchances]

[The frown remains on her face. She doesn't like this.]

Tim knows about you. He took it better than I expected.

[So please don't fuck this up for her.]

[assassino]

I see.

[Casually:]

Is he the little shit that has been trailing me all day? I keep trying to get a glimpse of him, but he's crafty.

[secondchances]

Are you fu--[she stops herself, and doesn't bother looking around. FUCK. TIM. WHY. She rubs her hand over her face.]

I should have known he'd do something like that.

[assassino]

[Ezio shrugs.]

He's talented, if I could not catch him. I am not even sure if he is still following, hence my inclination towards striking you.

[secondchances]

He's just being a creep. He won't jump you, don't worry. [He'd better not, anyway. She didn't want to see who would win in a fight.]

I'll get him to knock it off.

[assassino]

No, no. Leave him be. I want to see how he works.

[secondchances]

Oh, no. This isn't a game.

[assassino]

I did not say it was, I just want to see how he works.

[secondchances]

I can drag you both to lunch and you can ask him yourself. Problem solved.

[assassino]

No, that is not the same. Leave him be, we will work this out like men.

[secondchances]

Nope. Not allowed.

[assassino]

Why not?

[secondchances]

Because words like that lead to someone being in the clinic.